A new future for NASA in technology R&D?

Last month, hundreds of Houstonians went outside in the daylight to watch as a plane attached to the space shuttle flew over the city. It was a bittersweet moment for all who watched — a reminder that the shuttle program has been officially canceled, leaving many Americans, including us, wondering what NASA is going to do in the future.

Over the past four years, the Obama administration has put together a plan to better link NASA and private industry and, with NASA’s support, several very ambitious companies have successfully launched privately financed spaceships, albeit not yet manned. But alongside the shuttle going into retirement and the cancellation of the Constellation program, Obama and Congress have put plans for federally-funded, manned space travel on hold due to overall budgetary restrictions.

A new policy report from the Baker Institute describes how focused research and development (R&D) of new technologies — such as nanotechnology — could be the future of NASA. Nanotechnology has great potential for advancing many traditional NASA technologies beyond their current state. Most notably, nano-engineered materials are known for their strength, lightness and thermal robustness, making them ideal candidates for inclusion in future aircraft and space vehicles. Additionally, nanoscale elements have shown great promise for faster integrated electronics and more sensitive detectors.

According to the report, “the United States currently lacks a national space policy that ensures the continuity of research and programs that build on existing capabilities to explore space.” The absence of a mission-directed goal has hit NASA, and more specifically centers like Johnson Space Center (JSC), hard. Establishing specific objectives for basic research, and aligning these objectives with a nationally recognized plan for space exploration, could help to stabilize congressional appropriations for NASA in the long-term. At home, reinvesting in basic sciences could help find a new role for JSC after the termination of the shuttle program.

Through grants and academic collaborations, NASA could work toward sustained relationships and programming to integrate next-generation technologies with its current infrastructure. Without a consistent plan for our nation’s future in space, and a continued focus on basic research, we risk losing ground to other countries with a more resolved interest and greater financial resources for spaceflight.

Kirstin Matthews, Ph.D., is a fellow in science and technology policy at the Baker Institute. Her research focuses on the intersection between traditional biomedical research and public policy. Matthews’ current projects include the Baker Institute International Stem Cell Policy Program, theCivic Scientist Lecture Series and policy studies in research and development funding, genomics and climate change. Kenneth Evans is a graduate intern for the Science and Technology Policy Program.